Collapsible umbrella frame



MhZG; F. GUNDEL 4 1,706,922

G OLLAPS I BLE UMBRELLA FRAME Filed May 26, 1928 INVENTOR. FPA/vz Ggf/05.1.

'l ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANZ GUNDEL, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

COLLAPSIBLE UIVI13RIEL'ILA` Application led May 26, 1928. `Serial No. 280,716.

My invention relates to lcollapsible uinbrella frames, which are known in various forms of execution, generally involvingthe principle of lazy tongs. Such umbrellas mostly have the disadvantage of complication and have therefore not gained popularity with the public; whereas there are some which are simpler in construction, they do not collapse to so small a fraction of their full size as to warrant their preference to the ordinary umbrella Construction. p

In developing my improvement I have tried to overcome the handicaps of the construction of such umbrellas, and the objects of my invention are therefore, a collapsible umbrella frame which, first, supports the fabric in the same way as an ordinary umbrella; second, has the ribs attached to the ,fabric in the manner of the ordinary umbrella; third, does not comprise more parts than the ordinary umbrella; fourth, does not have lazy tongs, nor joints crossing each other; fifth, folds the fabric upon itself at one point only, and does not allow the fabric to be clamped or mutilated by the folding; sixtlnhas a collapsible handle which is frictionally held in the closed and partly opened. positions, and firmly secured in the fully open position; seventh, does not involve catches to be manipulated for the opening and closing, except for the fully open position of the frame.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a sectioned side view of part of my invention showing` the fully opened handle as well as a rib and the corresponding' supporting` means in the open position.

Figure 2 shows a similar view, in which the frame and the telescopic handle are almost completely folded together.

Figure 3 shows a sectioned, sectional view of one of the joints 'on the handle.

Figure il shows a side view ,of one of the novel joints I use in my iunbrella, together with the ends of the ribs hinged together in that joint.

Figure 5 shows the end view of another joint I use in the execution of my invention. In Figure 1 the ribs 6 'areA hinged to the end of the umbrella in the manner usually employed for that purpose. The joint at 7, between the sections 8 and 9, is similar to the joint in which section hinges upon the end of the umbrella. But the joint, 10 is really a. doubled joint as detailed in Figure fl. The rib sections (3 and 8 are hinged at a certain distance apart from each other,

in pivots 12 and 13, in the U-shaped trough 11. Vhen the sections 7 and 8 are folded together, in the manner indicated in Figure 2, there is a certain space between them at their point of folding, i. e., at joint 10, for the fabric of the umbrella.

lVhereas the three rib sections 6, 8 and 9 extend in a substantially straight line when the umbrella is opened, the supporting strut and web sections 1st, 15 and 16 are arranged next to those rib sections, displaced. for the distance of their own width to the side. Whereas the joint 17 is similar to that at 7, the joints at 18, 19 and 2O are constructed in theway shown in Figure 5.

For the illustration of that joint I refer to the joint at 20, between the rib 9 and the web 16. There is a clamp 21; .fastened upon the `rib 9 by the rivet 22, and upon the end of that rivet the web 16 is hinged. The joints 18 and 19 beingrconstructed inthe same manner, it is clear that in foldingup the umbrella the webs and 16 fold up nent to the webs 6, 8, and 9; and again the strut 1li folds up nent to the web 15, so that in the closed `position of the umbrella the ribs G, `8 and 9, the webs 15 and 16, and the strut 111, are respectively aligned next to eachother, in clockwise direction, when seen from. the top of the umbrella frame.

The other end of strut 14: is hinged upon the sleeve 23, which is slidable on the tube 2li, in a joint 25 similar tothe joint in which rib sections G are hinged upon the end of the tube 24. The sleeve 23 may beset at any point upon the tube by the linurled head screw 26. That screw is mounted in a small bridge 27 upon the sleeve and exerts, when tightened, a pressure upon the sleeve by jnessinnr the sleeve Vupon the tube so as to hold the sleeve in a fixed position. '.Ihere a' protrusion 2S around tube 211; which serves to stop the sleeve 23, when it has been moved along' the tube 241- tothe `fully open position of the frame. It may be produced either by spinning out the tube at that point or by fastening a ring upon it.

`The smallest section`29 of the telescopic handle is fastened to vthe top of the umbrella frame on the inside of tubeQZl. Over that section, and respectively over each other, are slidably arranged the handle sections 30, 31 and 82. The last one of these carries the knob yWihefretlilese sections,respectively vterminate inside of che next larger sections, `theirjends Blare flared out, so as to slide upon the inside of these next largersections, because the outsidediameters of the small sections are slightlyfsmallei" than the" inside' diameters of the next larger sections in which vthey slide.V Therefore, for the sanie purpose,`the ends-'35 arespun in, to slidably litupon,thefout-sideoi the seetionstelescoped into` theln.- Near-ft tliatlend of the sec- 'tions is fastened to them, ontheir insides,

av i'lnt; spring 36, whichi 'assumes thev posif tion of vIiig-ures l andl 3,- whenE the umbrella isv fully, vopenz There are slotsA 37 ot'A the Width4 of those flat springs inl the ends y ofl the sections, extending. sof far up*v from the ends 34k as-toallow thev springs 3G;y to assume the. positions- Figures 1 and 3. In.. these `particular positions, the flared ends 84` on the inner sect-ions rest against notches 38,'- on the outer sei-ttions,Y preventing the handle lfrom being. pulled out. beyond that point,` i

V'llhe second smallest section 30V of: the handle carries acollar 395 onk the outside Y near its endz- Thiscollanton its outside', is

slidable on'l the inside ofi tubef24.

j The' length-,ofthe springs 36;. as chosen in the clraivingsfis ofV course arbitrary. Under'l certain condition@ preference.r is given to a spring. which, is fastened on the inside i` of` theA tube at one` end, similar to.Y the construction shown, A butY ther spring. extends through the. whole length, ci the tube, and isgentl'yfy curvedjso. that in the openposition it extends from theupper right hand lcorner oni the inside off thel tube' to Yits lower Vlett hand corner... A spring of.. this type oifersy aneven,friction",throughout, in all thc positions in which thef telescopic handle ma--beused y Y Y n certain Vdetails thefdrawings show the part-s larger thanthey actually So, for instance, the set screw 26l on thebridge 2 may be i smaller,` and pla-ced between adjacent Yribs when` they are oldeda up and i the tube Q9' is` shortenedup correspondingly,

so that the umbrella when folded` up,. will not be greater inA length than the Vlongest of the rib sectionsv A- knob oliI the: kind showin, 3.3,; may` also'r be provided with a.

groove on the` sideV iacing the umbrella so other constructions usually provide for a' frame, which when opened up, is self-snpporting and stable, I avail myseli: to a great extent, of the tension exerted by the labrie cover tostabilizethe umbrella in the open position. A iframe, like the one shown in Fig; 1, is absolutely unstable. according to the well-known rule that a geometrical assembly of links, jointed at all corners of the geometrical iigure, cannot bc stable if it ias more than three corners. In my iframe there is one geometrical ligure, with oneY corner at the point in which thc rib (3 is hinged upon the umbrella stall', joints 1S, 19 Vand25representing three additional corners. The other geometrical ligure containedA in my frame, with joints 7. 1,0, 18, 17 and 2() has even tive corners. If'lowevcr, by a balance of the length oi the various sections I obtain the desired stability of my frame, as soon as ihc fabric cover is attached over it: The section 8 is 'freely suspendedA between the sections 6 and l). These two latter sections have the web sections .l5 and 1G attached to them in pivots 18 and 20;- the joint 17 between the web sections being pushed toward the rib sections by the pressure of strut 14, the j iarts oi the rib sections between. points 1S and 2() are under a, tension, away from. each other7 whereas the stresses inA webs 15v and 16 are compressive,.at least as far as lliis eoncernei'l` whereas there is an additional bending stress in the webl 15,- owing to the pressure exerted upon it by the strut lfl at the joints 1l). It is evident` that in the light ot these consi'derations, I make certa-in sections diilerent in cross sections from the others according. to the stresses to which they are exposed, cross sections in the drawings being chosen of the same kind throughout, because I usey the drawings` mainly to explain the principle of my invention.

Ribs and webs of various cross sections are used for umbrella. construction.k In the light of the preceding paragraph, I, may choose stronger or weaker cross sections for the' various sections of my frame. The sim ple joints, sho-wn at 7 and 17 may be readily executed .in the shape; ordinarily used with ribs of a U-shaped cross section. ut l give to the ribs, near these joints, a slight curvature, so that they may fold up on. (op of and parallel to each other.

I may, olf course, resort to means whirh prevent the sleeve 23- iironl turning on 2l. But I have found that the connecting ribweb-and strut-secti-)ns otler sullicient means to guide the sleeve in its motion along the tube 24;. I may of course provide notches in ring/28, into which fit the webior rib sections when foldedv up, offering` an additional means to firmly locate all parts when collapsed.

I claim-z In a collapsible umbrella. of the kind described in combination with a tube, a

Hll

handle telescopically collapsing into said tube, a sleeve slidable upon said tube, ribs hinged upon said tube-a plurality ot jointed sections making up each one of said ribs, supports, each comprising two Webs jointed together and hinged in their free ends, respectively, upon the iirst and last one of said sections making up said ribs, and struts operatively connected to said sleeve at one end and hinged in their other ends upon the .said supports.

2. In a collapsible umbrella of the kind.`

described in combination with a tube, a handle telescopically collapsin` into said tube, sleeve slidable upon said tube, ribs hinged upon said tube--a plurality of jointed sections making up each one of said ribs, supports, each comprising two webs jointed together and hinged in their free ends, respectively, upon and laterally joining the first and last one ot said sections making?,` up said ribs, and struts operatively connected to said sleeve at one end and hinged in their other ends upon and laterally adjoining the said supports.

3, In a collapsible umbrella of the kind described in combination with a tube, jointed ribs hinged upon said tube, a sleeve slidable upon said tube and operatively connected to said jointed ribs-a bridge upon said sleeve and a set screw in said bridge in abutment upon the outside of said tube.

et. ln a collapsible umbrella of the kind described in combination With a tube,'jointed ribs hinged upon said tube, a sleeve slidable upon said tube and operatively connected to said jointed ribs-an arbor mounted in. the center oi said tube, a plurality of telescopic tubes slidable upon said arbor and upon each other, successively, and fitting into said tube, and a collar' fastened upon the end of the smallest one of said telescopic tubes and'slidable in said tube.

In a collapsible umbrella of the kind described in combination with a tube, jointed ribs hinged upon said tube, a sleeve slidable upon said tube and operatively connected to said jointed ribs-an arbor mounted in the center oli said tube, a plurality of telescopic tubes successively clearing;- said arbor and each other and iitting into said tube, an enlargement on the free end of said arbor slidably iitting the smallest ones of said telescopic tubes, enlargements on the corresponding ends of the telescopic tubes, slidably litting, successively, the insides of the next larger ones of said telescopic tubes, contractions on the other ends of said telescopic tubes respec tively slidable upon the arbor and. the suecessively smaller' ones of said telescopic tubes, tensile members on the inside of said telescopic tubes trietionally engaging, respectively, said arborand the successively smaller ones ot said telescopic tubes.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 23rd day of May,

FRANZ GUNDEL. 

